Fernando Torres – Liverpool to Chelsea, £50 million (Winter 2011)
And finally, in the first place and last up on our list – although certainly not least – is Fernando Torres’ move from Liverpool to Chelsea in the January window of 2011.
At £50 million pounds, the deal made Torres the most expensive player in British footballing history, and the sixth most expensive football player of all time – although such is the escalation of the transfer market in recent years that it now only lies in 20th place.
Seemingly doomed to fail right from the off, Torres’ spectacular fall from grace at Chelsea is one of the greatest modern mysteries in worldwide football.
Despite managing 65 league goals in his 102 appearances whilst playing for Liverpool, Torres managed only 20 in his next 110 at Chelsea, quickly transforming from lethal, predatory striker, to a player who seemingly couldn’t hit a barn door with a football – let alone the back of the net.
Perhaps Torres’ lowest point at Chelsea, was his spectacular miss against Manchester United in September of 2011 – firing wide on a completely open net after having rounded United goalkeeper David de Gea.